Wow…what a week!

While trying to prepare to speak to the junior high assembly on Thursday, my son and husband came down sick with a high fever just as my college daughter came home from finishing finals just as I needed to field 15+ phone calls to run interference for my parents.

My parents’ issues were totally separate, but equally consuming!

My dad was booted out of a respite care program for being too bossy (like that’s a surprise?! Or even unusual for an Alzheimer’s patient in an Alzheimer’s day care program?!).

After many calls, I found a new program that had space for him and seemed to be a good fit. And it was! So…my dad, who is high functioning and likes to be busy but has no common sense anymore, is back with a five day schedule. Phew.

Flip to my mom. The house she has been renting across the street from us is going up on the market this week. Since Mom doesn’t hear the phone ring…(hard-of-hearing though she won’t admit it)…the realtors use me as the conduit of information: to pick up keys and take pictures and start showing the house and setting up a broker’s tour.

If you have a spare prayer, please pray for my mom–for timing and flexibility with this upcoming transition. God has always provided just the right answer to their problems…but He has a fondness for showing up at the 11th Hour.

Slow but never late.

Mom knows where she wants to move–a great retirement facility with lots of friends already there–but she’s on the waiting list for an opening. The inconvenience of having your house on the market is such a pain. She’s 80 years-old and doesn’t exactly move like a gazelle. Keeping it clean, getting an hour’s notice to vacate the house to show it, trying to prepare for Christmas and pay attention to Dad…well, such responsibilities would buckle a Viking! And Mom is a gentle, slow-to-adjust-to-change kind of gal.

I’ll keep you updated!

By the way, the assembly went great! Lots and lots of questions by the junior highers, even though it was at the end of the day. I considered that to be evidence that I engaged their interest.

Next week, I’m speaking to a huge group of older (and I mean OLDER!) people. Totally opposite audience. In fact, when I’ve spoken to older groups, usually one or two nod off.

I don’t mind! I just keep talking.